


Home Is Where The Blankets Are

by lonelyjournalkeeper



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: :D, im really proud of this one, its cute i promise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-18
Updated: 2016-03-23
Packaged: 2018-05-27 12:59:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6285424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lonelyjournalkeeper/pseuds/lonelyjournalkeeper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“So I made you something. Well uh actually I designed and fabricated it and Tony got it actually made…” Bruce is holding the back of his neck and not really looking at Steve and after a second he grabs some fabric off the couch.</p><p>            “I modified the molecules in the fabric so you could have a thinner blanket but be kept as warm as 2 normal blankets…For travel and stuff.” Bruce has kind of gone red and Steve is smiling widely. As Steve holds the blanket he realizes that the blanket’s print is the element square for Vibranium.</p><p>            Steve can’t hide his chuckle, “Thank you, Bruce.”<br/>--<br/>The Avengers find out Steve's PTSD is triggered by the cold, and they make it their soul mission in life to each give him a blanket.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [zacefronspants](https://archiveofourown.org/users/zacefronspants/gifts).



It’s the end of July, and Steve is curled up on the couch in what can only be described as a cocoon. From what Bruce can see (in a slow glace as he walked by) Steve has at least 2 to 3 blankets on and around him. Nevermind the fact he’s watching Tangled (which they all watched together months ago so the ‘never seen it’ excuse is dead).

            Just as Bruce stops to ask something about it Hawkeye and Tony seem to stumble into the room. Tony sits more…gracefully than Clint does, the man giving a loud ‘oof’ onto the couch as he sits next to cap.

            “Hey-a Stev-o. I know fall is coming but…” Clint gestures to the mass of blankets, “Isn’t this a bit much? I mean I know Tony keeps the AC going and it’s a little chilly, but it’s so nice ya know?” Steve just looks at him with a blank face and turns back to his movie, sipping on his drink.

            “Are you…Is that?” Tony peers over, “Hot chocolate? STEVE IT’S JULY.” Steve flushes red and seems to subtly snuggle deeper into the blankets.

            “ _Oh_.” It’s Bruce’s voice this time- standing on the edge of the room and when he says it he looks at Cap and then to the drink and blankets, and back to Steve. Giving a small nod and a smile, “It’s okay, I did the same thing for a long time…Different…comforts but whatever helps.”

            Steve only gives a smile and little nod before turning back to his movie- trying to ignore the “What the fuck Bruce? What’s okay? What’s going on?” face and about the time Flynn get’s knocked out with a frying pan Clint slides his feet under the blankets and presses them up against Steve’s.

            The blond jumps away from the couch not even caring he threw the hot chocolate and breaking the mug. He just stands there for a moment blinking and fucking _shivering._ And his chest is heaving and after a minute he seems to phase back in and quickly grabs the blanket that had been the cloest to him and reforms the pile in under 30 seconds and looks close to fucking tears.

            “You’re feet…they were cold.”

            A beat of silence passes between Tony, Steve and Clint.

_“Oh.”_

_“_ Oh? What does that mea- _OH. Oh.”_

-

            Soon the entire team knows. Sam, Thor, Bruce, Natasha, Bucky, Peter, Tony and Clint have a meeting in Tony’s workshop.

            “Steve…He most likely has some form of PTSD.”

            “Well I mean…duh. The guy went to hell and back.” It’s Sam’s voice that cuts through and Bruce takes a deep breath before continuing.

            “And it’s most likely triggered by the cold.”

            The room sits in a silence for a while until DUM-E knocks coffee over and it seems to restart everyone.

            “How did you figure it out?” Peter is sitting on one of Tony’s tables, looking around- looking slightly upset. For a while- still even now- loud echoes that sound like gunshots can take Peter back to when Ben died.

            Clint goes on to explain- and from the fact he doesn’t make a single ice pun or snidey jokes about touching Captain America under the blankets- they know it’s serious.

            “He looked so scared, like he was waiting to freeze again.” Clint looks so upset, and Nat knows it’s at himself.

            “You couldn’t have known- and if you did it’s not your fault your feet are as cold as your heart.” The light joke seems to make Clint only let out what can be described as a “bitch what” scream.

            The joke seems to let everyone process the situation a little better.

-

            “I always figured I was the fucked up one of us.” Bucky says a little later when he and Sam are sitting outside on the deck- and the wind blows gently and Bucky can’t help but wonder if even this amount of cold is too much for Steve.

            “He did say some stuff still messed him up, but he never let me know. I didn’t think he wanted any of us to know.” Sam takes a sip of his beer, looking at the skyline through his sunglasses, “Always gotta be Captain America- good and ready to go.”

            Bucky snorts into his drink, “You woulda hated my little Steve. Fucker used to get hit for fun- I’m sure of it.”

            Now it’s Sam’s turn to snort into his drink.

-

            No one out right says that they know about Steve’s trigger for his PTSD but Captain America isn’t stupid (he punched Hitler- not just _anyone_ can do that). It’s the little things each member does that lets him know that they figured it out...And that they don’t think less of him for it.

-

            Tony still calls him ‘capsicle’, but he also reprograms the house so that Steve’s room will always be kept at _least_ 75.

            And about 2 weeks after the feet incident, a package is left on top of his bed- an Amazon package. Delivered to a “Mrs. Tony Stark”.

            ‘ _What an idiot_.’ Steve thought before turning the box over in his hands. It didn’t seem that heavy but Steve could feel the weight of something in it.

            “How exciting.” Steve mumbled to himself as he takes the box and wanders to the desk getting a pair of scissors and cutting the box open. For a moment he stares at the cloth before a small smile passes over his face.

            Steve pulls out the fleece blanket and laughs.

            “Fuckin’ Tony’s gotta put his face everywhere.” Steve doesn’t even care about the shit Clint gives him for falling asleep wrapped in a giant blanket of Tony’s portrait.

-

            Bruce calls Steve down to the lab about a week after Steve got Tony’s gift- and Bruce is turned around at a microscope but as soon as Steve says, “Hello Dr. Banner.” He’s up and moving towards him with a small smile.

            “So I made you something. Well uh actually I designed and fabricated it and Tony got it actually made…” Bruce is holding the back of his neck and not really looking at Steve and after a second he grabs some fabric off the couch.

            “I modified the molecules in the fabric so you could have a thinner blanket but be kept as warm as 2 normal blankets…For travel and stuff.” Bruce has kind of gone red and Steve is smiling widely. As Steve holds the blanket he realizes that the blanket’s print is the element square for Vibranium.

            Steve can’t hide his chuckle, “Thank you, Bruce.”

-

            After a particularly bad battle Steve will most likely fall asleep on the nearest couch- and at this point everyone accepts it. (Tony had asked him why Steve would go change but then come back to the couch, and not just sleep in his bed. Steve said something about how the bed was too soft but the shitty couch was the perfect amount of uncomfortable for him to sleep [Steve may have really enjoyed the little ‘whaT?’ that Tony replied with]).

            However- after fighting some punkass named “The Ice Magician”, the entire team silently decides that it’s team movie night. So when Steve returns from his room to collapse on the couch- so far only Nat has returned. She has her back turned to him, so he decides to clear his throat.

            When Nat turns around, Steve doesn’t expect to see the blanket in her hands. It’s a faded blue and black- and it seems to be hand knitted.

            “I knitted this…It was my first mission with SHEILD- a watch and report. I picked up the skill from the lady who ran the café I was “working” at.” Nat smiles a little with a small chuckle and walks up to Steve, “I was under cover for 2 months- took me only a month to do this- but…” She shrugs, and Steve doesn’t know what to say. Nat has never been so…openly friendly and warm before.

            “I was honestly, terrified the entire mission- I was sure the KGB or someone, anyone, I pissed off by joining SHIELD would take me out…But this,” She shakes the blanket gently, “Kept me focused, and we did eventually get the job done.”

            “Cap, Steve…We know you’re damaged. But we all are.” She glances at the blanket again- running her thumbs over it before gently tugging it around caps shoulders. It only falls to his upper thighs, and it doesn’t cover all of his broad shoulders but he can feel the warmth.

            “It kept me grounded during that time, and now I hope it does the same for you  
теплый один.”

            “What does that mean?”

            “Warm one.”

-

            However- Thor was the least subtle person alive. So when one night he booms into the tower claiming he has a “great gift for the man out of your time!” Steve knows this is gonna be either terrible or he’ll cry.

            Spoiler: he cries.

            “Friend!” Thor drops the giant chest he has lugged in, ignoring the jump every glass does, and grabs Steve into a hug.

            “I am sorry I have away for so long, but I have a present for you!” Thor gleams as he gestures to the chest- Steve is wary.

_Very wary._

“Thor…buddy…The last time you brought a present for us...” Tony starts but Clint finishes for him,

 “We had those little shitty mice things running tower the tower for a year.”

            “Ah well, my friends I promise no rodents come of this trip. Although Besmel are lucky, where I come from.” A small laugh comes from both Sam and Clint.

Thor doesn’t waver however and walks over to the brown chest and undoes the buckles and allows Steve to open it.

Steve seems to go still when he finally sees what’s inside he turns to Thor and smiles.

“It is hand crafted- by the woman who used to make things for my family. I assure you Captain- you will never feel the cold chill again under this. It is filled with many layers of the finest feasent feathers in all of Asgard!”

Steve chooses to ignore the ‘say that 5 times fast’ that comes from Clint.

“Thor…honestly… I am very grateful for this.” Steve stands up and gives Thor another hug before turning to pull the blanket out- It’s more of a comforter on crack actually. Steve assumes it’s at least 40 pounds, but Thor is right. Just by the blanket sitting in the box the folded parts are already warm.

            “Thank you, again.” Steve says as he examines the detail work on the blanket.

            “It is no problem…Family must care for each other. Or else we are, what do you say, a bunch of ‘fuckwits’? living together in a tower.” Steve can’t hide his laugh from what Thor says and he ends up just pressing his face into the blanket.

            “Stop listening to Tony, Thor. Please.”

-

            Peter’s gift is unexpected- that’s for sure. But Peter catches him on his way in the door from his early morning run and it’s nearing 6 AM. Peter is standing in the kitchen, backpack on the counter and a glass of water next to it- he’s looking at his phone before Steve says good morning.

            “Hey, hi, uh, good morning, ah sorry I gotta get to class and Wade’s waiting but uh, I had Aunt May make this for you.” Peter pulls out the cloth from his backpack. It’s a dark red on one side and the other is a news paper print. (Later when Steve actually _looks_ at the newspapers it’s all about him- his coming home, his dying, him being alive…). Peter phones ring and Peter says something about getting to his class because “college is expensive” and soon hes re-zipping his backpack and Steve touches the blanket again.

            “Thank you Peter.” Steve says softly, and quickly Peter gives him a hug, puts the glass in his hand and is out the door.

            “That Parker sure is something isn’t he, J?” Steve mumbles into his glass as she sips on the water.

            “Yes, sir. He truly is.”

-

            Clint is sitting in his personal living room when he gets home and honestly at this point Steve just sighs.

“Move into the tower they said, it’ll be fun they said. Have your own personal area where no one will bother you…” Steve mumbles under his breath as he moves to the kitchen area and pours some OJ. What stops him is how quiet Clint is being- normally when Clint is waiting for him to get home it’s because he wants to play video games or hear about what Steve’s life was like before he got frozen (“Come on grandpa, one story!”) and it seemed to become ritual that whenever Clint felt too ‘trapped’ he would come to “grandpa” and hear a story or two.

“What’s up, Clint?” Steve asks slowly and looks at the man (At this moment seeming more like a child) who’s got his knees tucked up into his chest and a box lying at his side.

“Did you know I had a brother?” Clint asks. Without giving Steve a chance to reply he says flatly, “He died. He’s dead. His name was Barney.” Steve only saw him get like this after Loki had fucked with head so bad Clint couldn’t sleep- and at the time neither could Steve. There were many 3- AM bonding sessions.

“I’d know that… I’m so sorry Clint…” Clint cuts Steve off again- “He was good brother. Got me away from that orphanage…Got me into the circus. Barney made me who I am today. Made me Hawkeye- friend to Captain America.” Clint’s voice is hollow- but somehow filled with emotion. Steve nods and gently sits a cushion away from Clint.

“After he died- I was terrified of losing people. So I started being…well, me.”

 

“That isn’t a bad thing.” Clint gives a sad small smile at Steve’s words and nods a little but keeps staring at the spot on the floor. “I miss him...a lot.” Clint’s voice cracks, “But he used to say the same thing to me over and over after the car accident…” Clint goes quiet for a moment before he continues.

“Today may suck…really bad…but tomorrow will be better. I promise.” The room goes silent and Steve and Clint both watch the sunset over the skyline for a long while. Both are content with silence but Clint eventually turns to Steve and hands him the silver box, complete with a bow.

“Before you open it…Let me leave and keep my dignity.” Steve lets Clint walk out the door before he gently opens the box. The first thing he notices is a small note written in what is definitely Clint’s handwriting.

 

_“Steve,_

_You helped me out a lot after the mind control shit. And now I want to return the favor- sadly I am a mess and actually won’t be of any help emotionally. I can help teach you how to shoot stuff with a bow and arrow though. But maybe this will help.”_

 

Slowly Steve pulls the blanket out and realizes it is a quilt. The side he is staring at is all black, however when he gets up to drape it over his couch he sees the front side. It makes him stop- he lays it out on the ground and turns on all the lights and it takes his breath away. A series of photographs, old and new greet his eyes.

At the top it’s the photo he used to enlist in the army. Over it is sewn the word “Today”. The next photo is him after New York- this one reads, “may suck”. The next photo is the ship in the ice and has “really bad”.

Then there’s a photo of him and Bucky after Steve saved him- “But tomorrow”- The next photos are from parties and when he got his new suit and when they brought Bucky back to the tower to live with them.

“Will be better.”

And the last photo is a team photo that Clint made them all take a couple months back. It was after they got fitted for new suits. All of them crammed into frame- Tony yelling at Thor about his muscles and Nat looking dead inside- Sam laughing and Bucky looking over the camera at whatever SHIELD agent had to deal with them. Steve was laughing with the facial expression of “wtf” while Fury barely fit into frame in the back. And Clint was laying across the floor in the “French girl drawing” pose, trying to look seductive (?) But actually just looking plain old stupid.

And under it…Under it were the words,

 

“I promise” hand stitched with a little arrow after it.

-

            Sam and Bucky’s gift is the one that hits home the best so far. Sam had given it to him after their morning run- it was in a brown bag. Bucky had been sitting under a tree watching them run, laughing at Sam and every “on your left”, while munching on an apple. And as soon as Steve and Sam walked over to him he produced the bag to the blond.

            “Open it you punk.” Bucky had rolled his eyes and waved his metal arm flippantly acting like Steve was being _such_ a moron.

                        “It’s a blanket they used to send overseas, during the war… This one was supposed to go over but I guess it opted out.” Sam smiles, “Took me a while to find one just right, but ya’know…Couldn’t give up searching. Sides it was for Captain America.” Sam shrugs and smiles and Steve takes the blanket out of the bag carefully.

            “I eventually found one buried way down in the back of a ware house. And your boy Buck helped me find the exact brand of laundry detergent your mom would use… In all its Rinso goodness.”

            Steve holds the blanket up to his nose, it smells just like his mom used to. He never even thought of finding the detergent she used…

            “ _But of course Buck would have_.”

            “Thank you.” Is all Steve managed to rasp out before holding the blanket close to his face again.

-

            About a week later Steve comes home from running errands and all of his blankets are already formed into a cocoon on the couch- waiting for someone just to sit in the middle of it and curl up.

            Everyone else is lingering in the area or is already sitting on the floor.

            “Wha-“

            “Movie day. So come on cap, change into some ‘give up clothes’ and enjoy some movies with us. We’re starting with the Avengers Cartoon!” Clint is way too delighted by this- and his Spiderman PJ’s make Steve roll his eyes along with Peter whos at the kitchen table with Bruce.

            “We tried to make it Star Wars day but…” Bruce wavers off smiling and laughing gently

            “Star Trek is more accurate!” Tony’s voice doesn’t float out of the kitchen- it barges into the room and asserts itself, “And therefore!”

            “More accurate.” Everyone else says monotone, “Yes we know.” Clint says with a dramatic eye roll.

            “Did no one get Thors blanket?” Steve asks about halfway into the ‘pilot’ episode of their adventures, “Also Red Skull still being alive is ridiculous.”

            “We didn’t think to grab it but I ca-“ Bucky says replying to Steves first comment but before he can finish Clint is up and so is Sam.

            “I can get it!”

            “I can get it.”

            After saying the sentence at the same time they both turned to each other before dashing down the hall. Steve only sighs deeply as he sits on the couch.

            About 20 minutes later the two of them stumble back into the room, dragging the blanket behind them.

            Bucky stands up and grabs the blanket effortlessly and drops it over Steve who along with everyone else- Is very much so enjoying the looks of udder defeat from Clint and Sam. Eventually the two settle back with everyone else and give up so they just watch the show. Soon popcorn gets tosses between Clint and Natasha and soon everyone is

            As Steve doses off on the couch, the sounds of his friends near him, and the blankets tucked around him he feels totally and utterly content.


	2. I Love You...re Blanket.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Super husbands my guys

            Months go by and nobody mentions the fact that Steve seems to favor the ridiculous blanket Tony gave him over all the other blankets.

            Well they don’t mention it until Thor gets a little heartbroken.

            “Why does the Captain not like my blanket? I made sure it was as fine as Asgard could give him.” It was kind of ridiculous, the God of thunder sitting on the floor in the living room looking at the doorway that cap just walked out of (Tony’s blanket wrapped around his shoulders).

            “Oh God.” Clint sighs, “Who’s gonna explain it to him?”

            “Uh…” Sam puts his hands up and walks backwards, taking Bruce with him, “We gotta a thing. Over here. Yeah.”

            “Thor…Buddy.” Clint rolls his eyes at Bucky trying to explain the situation to Thor. It was like trying to explain what the meaning of life was to a 4 year old- but it was really an adult man, explaining to another adult man (alien technically) trying to explain that,

            “Steve likes Tony.”

            “Does he not like me?” Clint wants to scream, this is amazing.

            “No…” Buckys’ metal hand rubs his face and Clint giggles again.

            “Steve _likes_ Tony.”

            “Ah! I see now.”

-

            “ _But does Anthony like the Captain?”_ Thors voice echoed into the room. Cap and Tony were both very aware of how little each other were moving. JARVIS had just started playing the audio into Tony’s shop (without warning…the little shit is sentient Tony’s sure of it). Steve had been curled up on Tony’s couch, drawing and making fun of Tony- while Tony worked 3 new projects at once (new hearing aids for Clint, new arrows for Clint, and a fixed TV for Clint…[ **fucking Clint...** ])

            “Uhm.” Eventually it’s Tony who makes a sound and moves- even it is it just to make it look like he’s still working.

            Steve just stays silent and tugs the blanket a little closer- they weren’t wrong. Steve had fallen for Tony the second Tony invited him into the lab and talked to him for hours while he worked and Steve painted…At the time they didn’t even realize they had talked from noon to dinner.

            “Hey, it’s like,” Tony glances at his watch as he turns around on his chair, “Time for food.” He sentence lingers before Tony continues, “Wanna go to Robbies?”

            “Of course I want to go Robbies.”

-

            Robbies was…a hole in the wall shit dumpster. But they had amazing pizza (gotta love New York). But Tony and Steve loved it. They had found it after Ultron happened, they needed somewhere just _theirs_ \- no paps, no team mates breathing down their necks. A get away,

            “ _As friends.”_ Steve thought but still nothing change the smile on his face.

-

                Per normal to Avengers standards- everything was going alright for about 25 minutes before (per normal) shit hit the fan.

                Tony and Steve were munching on their pizza, Tony was doing a (spot on) impersonation of what Steve sounded like after he got deforzen when the chashier stood up on the bar stool.

                “Sorry everyone, the heater just broke. Good news everyone gets a voucher for a free slice.”  People whooped and cheered behind them but all Steve could hear was the beating in his ears. It was already getting chilly.

                “Come on let’s go Steve.” Tony was wrapping his arm around Steves and pulling him up.

                “It’s _cold.”_

_-_

                JARVIS alerts the rest of the team when Tony and Steve manage to get in sight of the tower.

                “Sorry to interrupt, but it seems as if Captain Rogers is suffering from a PTSD triggered breakdown.” Everyone was ready when Tony walked in the door, Steve wide eyes but blank stare. Bucky sighed before taking Steve and sitting him on the couch. Tony lingered at the side, chewing his finger nails.

                “Go get blankets, the portable heater please.” It was still a little odd to see ‘Bucky’ become ‘James’. The cradled Steve’s head in his lap as he laid the other down. Bucky’s fingers were carding through Steve’s hair.

                They got a reaction about 2 minutes after the pair had gotten situated when Clint went to dump the blankets they had all gotten him on Steve.

                “Don’t want those.” Was all he would mumble as he stared at the pile in Clint’s hands.

                “What do you want Stevie?” Bucky had tried to ask but they got the same reply as before.

                “Oh.” Was all tony said before he (casually) ran towards the elevator. But deciding it was taking too long today he took the stairs. Clint actually dropped his mug of coffee on the ground.

                “Did Tony… Did…Oh wow…He took…”

                “The stairs.” Was Bruce’s reply nodding with an impressed smile.

-

                Tony came back about 3 minutes later, holding a blanket (the blanket of his face) and Steve was pacing the living room. Still shivering and at this point his lips were blue.

                “He has to calm down, he’s making it worse.” Bruce mumbled to Tony before the genius stepped into the living room and walking over to the blond.

                “Hey buddy, I got your blanket.” Tony gently wrapped it around Steve’s shoulders. While Steve still had his head bent looking at the blanket (verifying it is in fact _his_ blanket), Tony kissed his forehead gently.

                “I love you.” Tony mumbles before leading Steve back to the couch and recommending they all watch a movie.

-

                “I love you too.” It a whisper, and its 3 hours later. But hey,

                Tony will take what he gets.


End file.
